Prologue
by sarafu-chan
Summary: Theirs was a love story that didn’t start until she almost broke their connection eight years later. RyoSaku. TWOSHOT BDAY SERIES.


**PROLOGUE**

_Theirs was a love story that didn't start until she almost broke their connection eight years later. RyoSaku. TWOSHOT BDAY SERIES._

**DISCLAIMER: **POT is not… mine –heartbroken-

**(x) (x) (x)**

When she laid her eyes on him, her heart skipped a beat.

Ryuzaki Sakuno thought for sure that it was certainly love. But it couldn't be, right? After all, what would a twelve year old know about romance and passionate emotions? Cheeks flushed, little Sakuno decided that it was just simple admiration for the boy that she felt.

The first time Sakuno met him was a complete disaster. Granted, things almost always never go her way but the chain of events that propelled her to meting the tennis prodigy wasn't exactly what you would call a great first impression.

It all started one fine day when she rode the Metro Train so that she and her grandmother can watch a tennis match together. A group of loud boys near her vicinity suddenly started showing off their tennis expertise, or lack thereof. A capped boy thankfully intervened before one of the rude boys can accidentally acquaint her face with his racket. They later met each other on the train station where Sakuno gave the boy the wrong directions. If only she had given the right direction, the mysterious boy would have been able to play. There was no doubt in Sakuno's mind that he might've won the tournament too.

The next time she met her savior was when she saw him lying on a grassy field, his hands casually resting at the back of his head. There was nothing she could do but feel bad about hat happened, so Sakuno tried to make amends by offering to buy him a drink. Unfortunately, the boy ended up paying for both of their drinks, causing her to feel even more embarrassed.

Out of nowhere, the group of rude boys who caused a ruckus on the train came back and challenged the boy in a match. Sasabe, the leader of the pack, later bragged about his tennis skills. Concern flooded Sakuno as she watched the boy take on the challenge. All of her worries vanished when the boy surprised all of them with his superb tennis skills. Her grandmother later informed her that the boy she met is dubbed as the "Prince of Tennis." This sudden revelation left Sakuno in awe.

_The Prince of Tennis_, she echoed inside her head, strangely mesmerized.

It then became a shocking but pleasant surprise when she found out that the very same boy who saved her also goes to Seigaku Junior High. Little by little, she began to be close to him, to the point of actually becoming friends.

Well, maybe not. Wallflower Ryuzaki Sakuno still is, and the boy only sees her as nothing more but the coach's clumsy granddaughter.

Still, she was always there. Watching him. Everytime she would come and watch him play, she would become inspired and motivated to do even better in her daily endeavors. She would feel the happiest especially whenever the tennis prodigy would show his tennis brilliance and pull off an amazing win. Her body would feel lighter and her heartbeat would suddenly become uncontrollably wild. It sounds a bit weird, but it was as if she was the one playing the game, what with all the concentration she had everytime her crush would compete in a match.

And yet, he never noticed her. Not even once. Maybe he never even gave her more than a passing thought.

She never failed to come to any of his games and together with her banshee of a friend, and she had always been there to support the entire Seigaku team in their matches. She would always mutter a little prayer before his game, her own little way of cheering for him. She graced his palate with various homemade lunches and desserts, even though the one time he commented "mada mada dane" on her own cooking almost made her cry buckets of tears and doubt the only ability she innately possessed.

And yet, he never noticed her. Her daily presence never arrested the boy's attention whatsoever.

Sakuno wondered why this was so.

And now, hot tears threatening to spring from her chocolate orbs, she held on to the last remaining shreds of her affection for the boy as she watched the airplane he was boarding disappear into the distance. The azure sky loomed brightly, and she tried her best to appear as happy as the rest of her Seigaku family. Her eyes then focused on the enormous glass windows showing the outside view of the airport. That boy would never know it, but the day he left them was also the day he took a good portion of her heart away.

"Please do not forget about me…" A beat. What followed next were thousands of poundings in her chest.

_Ryyoma-kun…_

**(x) (x) (x)**

The sound of several chirping birds outside her bedroom window woke up Ryuzaki Sakuno with a start. She rubbed her eyes, trying to fight the feeling of drowsiness still washing over her. A few minutes passed by and Sakuno finally won the battle, slipping out of her comfy bed to check her friendly bedroom calendar.

January 14.

Her thirteenth birthday.

With a giddy smile, Sakuno rushed to the bathroom to start the day. As she took a nice, quick shower, she thought of how exciting it is to finally become a teenager. New challenges await her now that she is at an age where she is expected to act more like a grown-up. The girl briefly wondered what the future has in store for her. She felt like she was standing on the edge of something, ready to embark on a spectacular adventure.

Sakuno then looked at the bathroom mirror after she had finished drying herself up. She hasn't changed that much. Not really.

However, Sakuno was proud of herself now that she had finally been given a spot at the Regular lineup of the Seigaku Girls Tennis Team. Her grandmother's connections didn't even play a part in this achievement and it was clear to everyone that it was Sakuno's own extraordinary efforts to improve in the sport that paved the way for her to join the ranks of the Regular players of the team.

_Ah, if only Ryoma-kun knew._

Sakuno blinked. Frantic, she quickly shook her head. How could she think of _that_? It had been almost a year since Ryoma left for America to broaden his horizon. Everyone knew that only tennis takes the top of his priority list and that his decision to leave for America was only for the best. All of them were sad about Ryoma's unexpected choice to depart Japan, but they only wished him luck and offered him God's blessings in the path that he took for himself.

Besides, what was the point in thinking about someone who would never be there by your side to begin with?

Pushing these thoughts aside, Sakuno proceeded to dress herself up. After all, she wouldn't want to be late in school right?

And so, Sakuno's school life continued. Tomoka gave her a bone-crushing bear hug as soon as she stepped inside the classroom. Various classmates offered their congratulations at her coming of age and gave heartfelt gifts. Their acts of kindness lifted Sakuno's spirits higher as she all thanked them for even bothering to remember her date of birth.

Some of the _senpai-tachi_ also came to stop by after class. Though most of them were busy, they were all willing to set aside some time just to greet her and wish her a happy birthday.

"No problem, Sakuno-chan," Oishi caringly said when he gave her a cute peach alarm clock. "I remember your grandmother telling me that your alarm clock suddenly started malfunctioning so I thought you could use a new one."

After hearing Oishi's statement, Sakuno's cheeks started to redden. Her _obaa-chan_ could be such a blabbermouth sometimes.

Speaking of her grandmother, Ryuzaki Sumire prepared a little feast for dinner that night. Sakuno heartily ate the food her grandmother lovingly prepared, savoring the sumptuous taste of her grandmother's home cooking. Her grandmother's love never failed to fill her heart with so much joy and Sakuno knew that she owed her grandmother a lot of things. After dinner, Sakuno gathered the plates and tried to wash the dishes, but Sumire stopped her.

"You can't do that," Her grandmother said in a stern voice. "It's your special day today. Now hurry to your room and let me take care of this."

Sakuno felt too spoiled, but didn't bother to argue. Ryuzaki Sumire could be unyieldingly stubborn when she wants to. Just as she was near the stairs, the doorbell rang, making her head turn quizzically at the door.

"I'll get it!" Sakuno dashed to the door. To her surprise, a lanky looking mailman greeted her eyes as soon as she opened the door. Her mouth slightly opened, forming an "**O**" shape, but she knew it was rude so she nicely asked, "May I help you?"

"A letter for one Ryuzaki Sakuno," The mailman looked friendly enough, extending a hand to show a queer pink envelope.

"T-That's me!" Sakuno found herself stuttering, slightly flustered.

"Well here you are, Miss," The mailman grinned, giving the envelope to the confused girl. "I wish you a good evening!"

Before he could turn, Sakuno caught the man's wrist, involving a lot of boldness on her part, "A-Ano… Excuse me for sounding impolite but I-"

"You wanna know why I didn't just drop it off at the mailbox, correct?" The mailman finished for Sakuno. The auburn haired girl nodded mutely, taken aback by the man's apparent ability to read what was inside her head. "Well, it seems like the person who sent that envelope specifically wanted you to get it. I don't know what the sender's reasons are but hey, it just means that he really wants the letter to be safely delivered right?"

Sakuno smiled at the mailman. "Thank you," Her long mane, now liberated because her hair wasn't tied in the usual pigtails, moved naturally and freely as she bowed at the mailman.

After the mailman was gone, Sakuno focused her attention on the pink envelope. The sender's name wasn't written. She flipped it on its backside and was surprised to see that there was no sign of the name of the sender anywhere. _Pink_, she reasoned out, _is a color only girls like_. The auburn haired girl tried to list inside her head all her female acquaintances. This ultimately led to a massive headache and Sakuno figured that the name of the sender might just as well be written in the letter itself.

Her eyes rested on the mysterious pink envelope again. With utmost care, she opened the envelope and took out its content. Inside was a simple note:

"Happy birthday, Sakuno."

"Wah…" The girl was fascinated. The message was so simple and yet it spoke _volumes_. Sakuno could feel her forehead creasing. Again, there was no note in the letter that would have told her from whom it was from. This made her feel bad since she wanted to thank the sender personally.

For the second time, Sakuno thought of the possible candidates that could've sent her the letter. And again, just like the last time, it was a major failure because there was absolutely no way she could ever determine the true identity of the person who gave her such a peculiar gift.

It wasn't until she sniffed the envelope that a thought crossed her mind.

_Ryoma-kun_

It was funny how the smell of Ponta could immediately send her spiralling down to recall certain passed events. With a sigh, Sakuno berated herself for even thinking about the Prince of Tennis. She was already in her teenhood, so it is only appropriate that she abandons her childishness, her crush on Ryoma included.

Still, it couldn't stop her.

From thinking. From wishing. From hoping.

_Hoping for what_? A more mature side of Sakuno gently inquired.

Hoping for a **miracle**.

**(x) (x) (x)**

_Drip, drip…_

Sakuno was shaking the rain from a blue colored umbrella.

_Drip, drip…_

It was, Sakuno reflected, one of those evil days...

_Drip, drip…_

Everything started when she found herself oversleeping that morning. After a massive panic attack, she had managed to yank on her school uniform and raced out the door… where she promptly tripped and fell down the stairs. Used to this by now, Sakuno expertly ignored her bleeding nose and hurried to school. It didn't make her situation any better when her teacher scolded her in front of all her classmates because she arrived at exactly the same time her first period was ending. Things got even more out of hand when a surprise quiz was announced by their Math teacher. After a few minutes, Sakuno's nose started to bleed again, raising the alarm of the teacher. He immediately sent her to the clinic, where she had to rest all day because everything just seemed like one big mess…

_Drip, drip…_

Sakuno vaguely recalled that it was a sunny day when she went to school. But after dismissal, she discovered that the skies overhead turned dark and ominous. To her dismay, rain suddenly came down, pouring all over her and making her sneeze every now and then.

_Drip, drip…_

The only thing that went right that day was when she accidentally met Momo-senpai. He took notice of her drenched condition immediately and insisted on lending her his umbrella.

"It's no problem, no problem at all!" The spiky haired teen assured her when she feebly tried to protest. "Besides, you need it more than I do. Just take it, okay?"

Sakuno gratefully nodded in return.

_Drip, drip…_

So much for a fun fourteenth birthday.

Now, Sakuno is drying herself up as she delicately wrapped a towel around her long hair. The rain stopped a short time ago, but the remaining water continued to fall in slow, steady droplets from the corner of the roof. The girl shivered slightly as she pulled a cardigan sweater from the closet to keep her body warm.

"Sakuno," Ryuzaki Sumire called out, her footsteps growing louder. "You have a letter addressed to you."

Sakuno's ears perked up. With an uncharacteristically speedy movement, she turned the doorknob and welcomed her grandmother.

"My, my," Sumire said when she took in the appearance of her granddaughter. "Not exactly the kind of birthday you were hoping for, ne?"

"N-Not really," Sakuno shyly admitted, weariness written all over her childlike features.

Sumire laughed and handed Sakuno the letter. "Well, maybe a letter from a friend would cheer you up."

As soon as her grandmother left, animated thoughts started to tangle inside her head. She fingered the envelope, its color again startlingly pink.

Sniffing the envelope, Sakuno realized with a slight jolt that the scent was yet again that of a Ponta's. Of course she knew. She would recognize that smell anywhere.

A flash of a certain Prince of Tennis's face momentarily blinded her senses.

_Stop_, she chastised herself. _Ryoma-kun won't…_

She sighed before cupping her chin as she deliberated on why her feelings for Echizen Ryoma have not yet faltered. The space between them could very well be the distance of Earth to Mars and _still_ her overactive imagination kept on nagging her that maybe her object of affection also feels the same way. Oh, how silly of her!

Inhaling the familiar scent again, Sakuno excitedly opened the envelope. To her disappointment, the note was the same as last year's. Now, it wasn't like Sakuno to expect but admittedly, it would've been much more of a pleasant present if the letter from Ryo, er, the sender contained more than the sentence "Happy birthday, Sakuno."

However, the little letter she received instantly brightened up her day.

**(x) (x) (x)**

"1, 2, 3! _**GO!!!**_"

"Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you!" And so the rest of the Seigaku tennis team (plus Tomoka, of course) sang as they all crowded around the karaoke room of the Arcade Section at the local mall. "Happy birthday, Sakuno!"

The braided girl could feel the heat of her cheeks but she managed to bow at them, "Thank you, everyone! I really appreciate this!"

Sakuno was very glad that the friendship they built a few years ago hasn't wavered even when she became separated with her senpais. Now that she is also in Senior High, it made her happier when she realized that all her upperclassman friends would still be there when she needs them.

Like now, for instance.

It was her best friend Tomoka who suggested that they go out to celebrate Sakuno's fifteenth birthday. After deciding that there would be no fun if only the two of them would go, she took it upon herself to invite the rest of the Seigaku regulars plus the Ichinen Trio (still called as a collective after all these years). What resulted was an exciting afternoon in a karaoke room full of full-pledged bishounens.

"Nya! Sakuno-chan! Don't mind it!" Kikumaru Eiji cheerfully bounced to Sakuno's side, looping an arm around Sakuno's neck as if they were posing for a Bestfriends Forever photograph. If the one who did this were any boy aside from Eiji, Sakuno was sure that she would've fainted.

_Click!_

Speaking of photographs, a smiling Fuji Syuusuke was taking stolen shots of the group, much to Tezuka's annoyance.

"Sakuno-chan, here's the sushi my dad and I made for you," Kawamura Takashi timidly told the girl as he handed her a wooden bucket full of freshly made sushi.

Beside them, Kaidoh and Momo were battling over the microphone.

Kaidoh zeroed in on Momo, looking deadly. "Fsshh… Give me that…"

"Ha, as if you could sing Mabushi!" Momo mocked as he grabbed the mic and ran across the other side of the room. "Now where's the list of-"

Tomoka appeared on the scene and skilfully seized the microphone, ignoring the cries of protest from the Dunk Specialist. "Ahem! Since it is Sakuno's birthday, I think that it's only proper if she is the one who gets to sing first!"

The sounds of wolf-whistles and agreement filled the air.

A gulp escaped Sakuno's throat. What now?

"Here, here!" Tomoka enthusiastically placed the microphone on Sakuno's shaky hands. "And here's the song list! Make sure to pick a great song, Sakuno-chan!"

"Hehe, if I were her, I would pick a song that would accentuate her soft and tiny vocals," Horio commented, arms crossed over his chest. "My two years of singing experience-"

Horio's monologue became lost on Sakuno's ears as she perused the list of songs nervously. Her voice wasn't that bad, but it wasn't something amazing either. She was also worried about the fact that she could be tone-deaf sometimes. From the corner of her eye, she could see the hopeful looks everybody was giving her. She clutched her chest, trying to prevent herself from becoming more flustered.

"I can't pick a song, Tomoka-chan," Sakuno muttered apologetically, trying to get out of her predicament.

Her good-natured friend blinked, and then smiled obliviously. "Ah, then I'll pick a song for you!" Before Sakuno could graciously object, Tomoka had already pressed a few buttons and the first few beats of the song vibrated throughout the whole room.

"Go Sakuno-chan!" Eiji yelled, raising a fist in the air.

All the others were grinning, anticipating Sakuno's singing debut. They have never heard her sing before and they all shared the same opinion that Sakuno would have a good voice. In one corner of the room, Inui's eyeglasses were gleaming as he readied his notebook for some good old data gathering.

_The tide is high but I'm holding on_

_I'm gonna be your number one_

_I'm not the kind of girl who gives up just like that_

_Oh no_

Sakuno blinked, blushing as the first few lines became visible on the screen.

"Come on, Sakuno!" Tomoka loudly cheered as if the whole thing was a life or death situation. "You know this song! Remember?"

Feeling a bit encouraged, Sakuno opened her mouth to sing. Yes, she kind of liked that song. The past started to overwhelm her senses as she unconsciously poured her emotions into the song.

_Every girl wants you to be her man_

_But I'll wait right here 'til it's my turn_

_I'm not the kind of girl who gives up just like that_

_Oh no_

"Whoa, Ryuzaki's a pretty good singer…" Horio commented, unable to believe his ears.

"Saa…" Fuji tapped his chin, his smile widening. "Our Sakuno was hiding such a talent all this time. But I wonder who she's pertaining to in that song?"

Eiji glanced at the tensai. "It's just a song, Fujiko!"

"Yes, but well, the _lyrics_…" Fuji smiled again as he watched comprehension dawn on his schoolmates' faces. Fuji chuckled to himself as speculations fired off in an instant. Inui's hand started moving in an abnormally fast speed as that juicy little info reached his ears.

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" Tezuka boredly looked at the boy beside him. Now, it wasn't Tezuka's business or anything but he didn't like it when a precious kouhai becomes the subject of gossip. Things like secrets, rumors or lovelives were beneath him. Fuji only replied with a smile and Tezuka decided that trying to stop Fuji from accomplishing his devious schemes would only be unproductive at best.

Meanwhile, Sakuno was still singing, unaware of the commotion that was happening.

_The tide is high but I'm holding on_

_I'm gonna be your number one_

_I'm not the kind of girl who gives up just like that_

_Oh no_

The day passed on like a blur and Sakuno went back to her house, feeling a bit tired and exhausted. After their little karaoke session, Sakuno and the rest of the Seigaku students toured the rest of the mall, all looking like first-timers. Eiji's enthusiasm was nothing but infectious and soon, they were having mini photoshoots in, well, _everywhere_. Fuji was only too happy to be clicking away and Inui was scarily discreet in what he was doing as usual. However, you could be sure that it involves some more data and percentages. For some unknown reason, Sakuno couldn't help but get the uneasy feeling that her friends would discuss about her whenever she would turn her back, but because she could be so naïve, she dismissed the whole ridiculous thought aside.

Just as she went inside her house, Sakuno's strength slowly dissipated like a deflated balloon. She forced her suddenly lethargic limbs to not fail her, and she climbed upstairs to take refuge in her comfy bed. As soon as she was on top of her bed, she let out a deep shuddering breath and settled into her covers. Without even realizing it, she had already slipped into unconsciousness as she dreamt of the subject of her infatuation…

_Ryoma-kun…_

Sakuno desperately tried to catch up to him, but he was getting farther and farther away.

He remained silent and poker-faced and then stopped to turn to her. For a second, she thought she saw him smile, but then a crashing sound was heard and the ground shook. Sakuno let out a yelp, her arms trying to reach the boy. He muttered something inaudible and Sakuno could feel herself crashing down, _down_, _**down**_…

Until she crashed into oblivion, helplessly watching Ryoma stare at her fallen form.

"R-Ryoma-kun…" She moaned in her sleep, tears on her lashes. Just like in the dream, she reached out but her arms only met thin air.

The next morning was a Saturday. Thankful that it wasn't a school day, Sakuno slept all morning. She tried to erase from her mind the bizarre dream she had. It seemed like such a lifetime ago when she foolishly thought that because Ryoma never properly talked to any girl aside from her, there was a miniscule chance that he also harbored feelings for her. No. It wouldn't do any good if she kept thinking about him.

Sakuno munched on her breakfast, making sure to chew properly. After washing the dishes, she went outside to retrieve the mail. Her traitorous heart then jumped in joy when –lo and behold!- another pink envelope addressed to her was waiting to be opened.

She whispered to herself, "Ryoma-kun…"

_NO!_

What are her assurances that it was Echizen Ryoma who ceremoniously sends her these mystifying letters? For all she knew, it could be anyone from her Seigaku friends or even long distance elementary classmates. To think of the impossible was…

She bit her lip. She needs to get over him.

The braided girl smoothly opened the pink envelope. The letter contained its usual message, but this time, something caught Sakuno's eye.

_PS: Have you cut your hair yet?_

Sakuno gasped as her hands automatically flew to her braided mane. The only person who ever openly voiced his complaint against her slightly longer than usual hair was the Prince of Tennis himself. With growing disbelief, she read the message over and over again just to make sure that she read it right.

_Wow._ Ryoma sending her these letters is just… _Wow._

She inhaled again the recognizable scent of the envelope, the memories of Echizen Ryoma threatening to overpower her confused mind all over again.

Sakuno then decided to call Tomoka and schedule an appointment at a nearby salon.

**(x) (x) (x)**

Sweet sixteen.

That's what everyone calls a girl's sixteenth birthday: Sweet sixteen. Somehow, it made Sakuno curious but she didn't bother to ask why because she figured that no one might really know what the true answer was.

Well, maybe except for her Inui-senpai. But aside from being too shy to bother asking such an insignificant question, Inui and her other senpais were already in a whole new stage of life which was called the University life.

"Sakuno, bend you knees a little more!" Their buchou ordered, giving her a slightly disapproving look.

"Hai!" She replied, following the instruction. Her eyes narrowed in concentration as she served the tennis ball back to her opponent, who dashed quickly only to fail in returning it back.

"Nice one, Ryuzaki!" Her opponent shouted, and Sakuno sighed in satisfaction.

In less than twenty four hours, Sakuno would be waking up as a sixteen year old. The thought alone brings her great elation. The childish and clumsy Sakuno is going to be sixteen, the age between childhood and maturity.

The auburn haired girl knew for a fact that her dearest friends and family were preparing for a celebration. Her mother decided to pay her a visit, much to Sakuno's surprise and delight. The Ryuzaki matriarch wanted to spend the whole day with her daughter.

As for Tomoka? Well, let's just say that she's got something up her sleeves again.

"Oi, Ryuzaki, someone's looking for you!" One of her teammates told her once they were changing.

"Ah?" Sakuno wasn't _that_ shocked. After all, it would be her birthday tomorrow so maybe someone she knows wanted to greet her in advance just in case that person has another plan for tomorrow.

Sakuno smiled. She had the greatest friends in the world.

The girl quickly hurried to finish buttoning her school uniform and combing her shoulder-length hair. Ever since she received Ryoma's third birthday letter, she had been frequently going to the salon to cut her hair.

"Ryuzaki-chan…"

Sakuno stopped on her tracks as she involuntarily gasped.

The boy standing in front of her was definitely not someone she knew. His face, however, was rather familiar because she could identify him as Mori Natsuhiko, Seigaku's soccer superstar.

Natsuhiko rubbed his shaggy lionlike mane, "Ah, sorry. Did I startle you?"

She clasped her hands anxiously. What could he possibly want to tell _her_? "No. N-Not really…"

"Oh good!" Natushiko exclaimed happily, and then he caught himself and gave a self-conscious cough. "I mean, I'm glad. I was afraid you'll find my sudden appearance surprising."

_It was_, Sakuno wanted to say, but she decided against it because it might hurt the boy's feelings.

Deafening silence ensued.

"Ah, Ryuzaki-chan, I came here because I wanted to tell you something…" Natsuhiko started, scratching his reddening cheeks. "I, uh… Would you…" A gulp. "Would you go out with me?"

"Oh!" Sakuno's face also flushed. Well, that confession was _unexpected_.

Over the years, Sakuno had grown exponentially not only when it comes to maturity, but also in the physical aspects. While she was not that much of a stunner as her grandma was back when she was young, Sakuno's body began to take some form and curve over the years. This observation of course did not escape Tomoka's notice as her bestfriend complained why Sakuno is the only one out of the two getting the attention of guys.

But of course, Sakuno never took her friend's little rants seriously. For her, she would still be Ryuzaki Sakuno, dubbed "Wobbly Hips" by the boy whom she had a major crush on.

She sighed. How had it come to this?

"Why?" She muttered softly, mostly to herself.

Unfortunately, Natsuhiko thought that the girl was talking to him and he flailed his arms wildly in embarrassment, "W-Why? Well, my answer is why not? Ryuzaki-chan, you are the cutest and most innocent girl in this school! So modest and pure, a maiden needing to be protected!"

Her chocolate orbs widened into saucers. Eyes downcast and fingers fidgeting with the hem of her school uniform, Sakuno could not think of what to say to this kind boy who went out of his way just to confess to her.

"But," Natushiko could sense the tenseness surrounding the girl. "you don't have to answer me right away! I, uhm, I can wait! Haha!"

"Gomen ne."

"Huh?" The soccer player stopped laughing. "R-Ryuzaki-chan?"

She raised her head up, trying her best to look at the boy squarely in the eyes, "Gomen ne, Natsuhiko-kun!" she said, this time more firmly. "I am flattered by your affections for me, but the way things are, I cannot return them."

"We can start as friends," Natsuhiko offered.

"Sorry," Sakuno replied, looking really guilty. If she could appease the boy's feelings, she would've gladly done so but she didn't know how to make a person who had just been rejected feel better. Especially if the one who rejected him was Sakuno herself.

The truth of the matter is, Sakuno still isn't ready for a relationship. To be honest, it scared her. She had a lot of flaws and weaknesses, so she thought of herself as someone not worthy enough for any boy.

_Even__ him?_

Sakuno shook her head. There was that snag, too.

_Hair too long, legs too short, knees too wobbly_

The boy put up a brave smile and rubbed the back of his head, "I see. So I have no chance in winning Ryuzaki-chan's heart…"

"Ah, I-"

"No, it's cool!" Natushiko guaranteed as he held out a hand in front of her uneasily. "Really. I mean, if Ryuzaki-chan doesn't like me, right…"

Sakuno never felt so bad in her entire life.

That evening, Tomoka was screaming and shrieking as she summarized the events that happened that afternoon. Tomoka was her bestfriend; anything that happened to her, she would immediately report to her friend. The only thing that she kept hidden was the fact that Ryoma (as in THE Echizen Ryoma) regularly sends her birthday messages. If Sakuno told her that, Tomoka might as well go into a mad frenzy and declare them "soulmates for life."

"Mou, Sakuno-chan, don't you know? That Natsuhiko guy is the ace of the soccer club. He's really cool and all, though Ryoma-sama is much better," A gasp was heard on the phone as Sakuno remained silent. "Wah! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to compare. Just wanting to-"

"I know, Tomoka," Sakuno answered tiredly. How many conversations have they had wherein the prince's name would suddenly pop up?

"Sakuno-chan!" Her mother's voiced echoed throughout the hallway.

"I have to go now," Sakuno told her friend on the other line. She then turned to the source of her mother's voice, her head tilted. "Yes, okaa-san?"

A woman in her early forties stepped out of the kitchen and warmly smiled. In some ways, she was like the mirror image of her daughter. The only difference were their eye colors; While Sakuno's mother had spectacular hazel eyes, Sakuno's orbs were of deep chocolate color which could be likened to that of a puppy's.

"I've already finished baking the Strawberry Cream Cake," her mother announced, eyes glinting. She put down her apron which was full of flour and dough.

Sakuno looked mildly mortified. "Mou! Okaa-san! I thought you said that we would bake the cake together!" Without meaning to, Sakuno pouted.

Sakuno's mother laughed gaily and pinched Sakuno's cheeks. "Alright then. We're gonna bake another cake tomorrow. An upside down cake?" Her daughter nodded enthusiastically. "Alright. Then it's decided!"

"It's a promise!" Sakuno said with a laugh as mother and daughter connected their pinkie fingers in mutual agreement.

"Your father would be very proud of you…" The Ryuzaki matriarch suddenly whispered. Sakuno blinked at her mother curiously, not catching the older woman's nostalgic words. Suddenly, her mother clapped her hands and pushed Sakuno out of the doorway. "It's getting late now, Sakuno! You better start preparing for tomorrow because it will be your special day!"

"Y-Yes…" Sakuno could not help but feel a bit uneasy. Is it just her or did her mother looked a bit contemplative a little while ago?

"Anyway," her mother winked. "your friends must be planning something already. Why, just this evening, I saw a letter in the mailbox for you!"

Her heart skipped a beat. "Really?"

"Oh yes," her mother drawled, obviously unaware of her daughter's sudden change of mood. "Must be one of your girlfriends. A pink envelope- Sakuno?" She blinked when she noticed that she was only talking to thin air.

_Ryoma-kun…_

The feeling she would get everytime her mind would wonder about the Prince of Tennis still wasn't gone. Still like rainbow after the rain, like sunshine and fireworks and everything that make the world seem so beautiful.

She huffed and drew in some more air when she reached the red mailbox. He fingers were slightly shaking, partly because of excitement.

The girl wasted no time in climbing to her personal sanctuary. As soon as she got inside her room, she sat on her chair right away and began to slowly open the pink envelope.

"_Happy birthday, Wobbly Hips."_

The girl slightly laughed. Did Ryoma think that she was still the clumsy crybaby she was back when they were twelve? The girl then pulled out another note from the envelope, this time containing a recent picture of the boy.

"_I_ _lost to a guy named Baulucio something. Guess I'm also mada mada dane…_"

It was no secret to the world that Ryoma, now a full-fledged tennis pro, is competing at international level and wowing his fans and critics alike. This fact didn't surprise Sakuno in the slightest bit because she sincerely believed with all her heart that Echizen Ryoma would soon be reigning over the tennis world in only a couple of years. Maybe it was because of his personality at stopping at nothing just to reach his goals.

She picked up the photograph left to her by her admired person and hugged it close to her heart.

_Why are you doing this?_

Sakuno sniffed heartily. She didn't know why, but she suddenly had the sudden urge to cry. But she would not permit herself to cry! She's already sixteen, on the verge of becoming an adult. Why would she cry? Just because Ryoma left her another letter…

_Why do I keep waiting?_

Memories started resurfacing again and Sakuno could feel the intense colors flooding her face. The lingering scent of Ponta from the envelope wafted towards her nose and it was clear that it wasn't helping her the slightest bit. Just because he habitually sends her birthday messages doesn't mean…

_I'm tired of this, when I'm the only one hurting…_

Sakuno still adores him. Kami-sama, she couldn't even imagine herself growing out of her infatuation for the boy! It was enough to make her feel dizzy. It was enough to make her feel paralyzed, unable to take the reins of her own life.

_Ryoma-kun…_

"Ryoma-kun…" A bubble of sadness suddenly materialized itself as she collapsed on the bed, feeling both extremes of emotions. On one hand, she was ecstatic at the mere thought that Ryoma would even care to feelings. So many emotions… Happiness and pain… After all, how could she know what the boy feels for her in the first place?

It was painful, trying to wait for nothing at all.

It didn't do her any good. Nothing would come out of it. She needed to break free, to dare to be someone different. Denial would've been a better escape, but what good would it do if she was the one lying to herself?

And yet, there she was, the _**fool**_, holding on to his letter as if she were hanging on for dear life.

_I'll never grow enough to stop loving you, even from afar._

Her sixteenth birthday held a lot of promises and opportunities but that night, as Sakuno cradled herself to sleep, she dreamt of white caps and Ponta juices and an inevitable reunion.

_Always…_

Ryoma-kun…

**(x) (x) (x)**

Song Sang on Sakuno's 15th Bday: **The Tide is High** by **The Atomic Kittens**

Oh my God. People should give me the Nobel Prize equivalent of an award for OOCness characterization… LOL. Can't help it. This is my own **experimental AU twoshot RyoSaku fanfic**. What a mouthful! Nya! This is a bday gift for myself and a challenge too. I wrote the first part all in just one night so no editing of grammatical errors whatsoever desu yo. The next part would be more dramatic (ara?) and probably better written than this one. Wafufufu…

Review to make this loony happy!


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